Questions about VMware lab

[AMD_Gamer]

I find all the VMware products confusing along with the name vSphere, is VSphere just a name for all of the VMware products that work together?

Can you run vCenter server on a normal windows machine or is it a baremetal install like ESXi.

I am looking at a way I can test out this vCenter server. If I installed it on my gaming rig, I can than control it from another computer using the normal vSpehere client? is that how it works?

This vCenter server is just a centralized way of managing all your ESXi servers and from the vSpehere client you will get more options to cluster them together and all that?

 

[NetJunkie]

vSphere is version 4.x of the hypervisor. Before that we just called it ESX or VI3 (VMware Infrastructure). It's just a product name. It does not cover their entire portfolio or even all the products that tie to the hypervisor. It's just the hypervisor you install directly on hardware.

vCenter is a Windows app. You can run it on a physical server or in a VM (current best practice). It's the central management system. You can manage multiple vSphere hosts as well as use the enterprise features such as vMotion, VMware HA, FT, etc. You can't do those things without it.

 

[BillHicksRIP]

And vCenter 4.1 now needs a 64-bit Windows OS which is a kick in the balls.

 

[RiDDLeRThC]

And vCenter 4.1 now needs a 64-bit Windows OS which is a kick in the balls.

why is that a kick in the balls?

 

[Miker2k]

Aren't all versions of Win2k8 64 bit only anyway?

 

[SpaceHonkey]

why is that a kick in the balls?

Because in place upgrades are a pain in the ass.

 

[Netwerkz101]

Aren't all versions of Win2k8 64 bit only anyway?

2008 is available in 32bit and 64bit.
2008R2 and future versions of Server are/will be 64bit

And to the OP ...you are not alone.
It is still in my head that ESX vs ESXi = vmware over OS vs. bare metal ...but
it is not the case.

I gave up ...i just use ESXi and call it vsphere.